Roof ventilating devices



1957 E. F. NOYES ETAL ROOF VENTILATING DEVICES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledSept. 10. 1954 FIG. 5

0 2 a 1 9 8 H W w M M U. I '4 2 1 6 5 m Z ATTORNEYS Jan. 15, 1957 E. F.NOYES ETAL 2,777,381

ROOF VENTILATING DEVICES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 10, 1954 UnitedStates Patent ROOF VENTILATIN G DEVICES Eliot Fette Noyes, New Canaan,Arthur E. De Salvo, Rowayton, and John Black Lee, New Canaan, Coma; saidDe Salvo and said Lee assignors to said Noyes Application September 10,1954, Serial No. 455,236

10 Claims. (Cl. 98-37) This invention relates generally to a roofventilating device and, more particularly, to a roof ventilating devicefor a fiat roofed building or for a building without an attic.

One object of the present invention is the provision of a roofventilating device for ventilating the air space disposed below the roofof a building, said device being efiective to prevent the formation ofmoisture in said air space.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a roofventilating device of the above char acter which functions as a gravelstop and finishing structure for the roof edge.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a roofventilating device of the above character which provides air flow to theair space defined below the roof of a building from the atmosphere freeof insects and foreign matter.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of lengthsof roof ventilating devices of the above character which are adapted tobe interconnected to each other in fluid-tight relation to define afinished roof edge, said devices being of simple design andconstruction, economical to manufacture and highly eificient in theaccomplishment of their intended purposes.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinventionwill be more fully understood from the following descriptionconsidered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings which illustrate the best modes now contemplated by mefor carrying out my invention:

Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevational view of a fragmentary portion ofa building roof;

Fig. 2 is a sectional perspective view of a corner of a roof with partsbroken away to reveal structural details;

Fig. 3 is a sectional perspective view of a fragmentary portion of aroof pursuant to a slightly modified form of the present invention withparts broken away to reveal structuraldetails;

Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevational view of a fragmentary portion ofa roof according to another modified form of the present invention; and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 of yet another modified form of thepresent invention.

Referring to the drawings and, more particularly, to Figs, 1 and 2thereof, there are shown lengths of roof ventilating devices secured tothe building 12 in the manner to be described in detail hereinafter,said lengths of roof ventilating devices being secured to each other inend-to-end relation to define the finished roof edge of the building.The building 12 is provided with a generally flat roof 14 and saidbuilding may be of any conventional design and construction. Thebuilding 12 illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a series of laterallyspaced and longitudinally extending headers or roof supports 16 whichare-securedto the lower faces 18 of the roofing boards 20, saidroofingboards being con- 2,777,381 Fatented Jan. 15, 1957 nected to each otherin any conventional manner to collectively define the base structure 22of the roof 14. The ceiling panel 24 is secured to a series of headers16 in spaced disposition from the roofing boards 20 and suitablydisposed in the air space 26 defined between the roofing boards 20 andthe ceiling panel 24 are bags of insulation material 28 schematicallyindicated in Fig. 1. The inner wall 30 is suitably integrated with theceiling panel 24 and the member 31, there being provided sheathing 32 inlaterally spaced relation with the inner wall 30 with the member 31transversely extending therebetween. The siding 34 which constitutes anexternal building wall is secured to the sheathing 32 in face-to-facerelation and said siding is secured to the outermost header 16' throughthe intermediation of the member 36. Pursuant to the present inventioneach of the headers 16 is provided with a series of spaced openings 38which extend transversely therethrough, said openings in conjunctionwith the roof ventilating devices 10 being adapted to provideventilation for the space 26. The devices 10 are provided in suitablelengths and are adapted to be secured to each other in end-to-endfluid-tight relation to define the finished edge 84 of the roof 14.

The roof ventilating device 10 comprises an enclosure 4d having mutuallyconverging upper and lower walls 42 and 44, respectively which definethe longitudinally extending opening 46. The walls 42 and 44 areinterconnected at their outer edges by the side or outer wall 48 whichis provided with a finished outer face 50. The walls 42, 44 and 48definethe substantially triangular shaped enclosure 40, and thegenerally triangular shaped opening 46 defined between said wallsextends for the length of the enclosure. In order to provide for a flowof air through the opening 46 there is provided a series of air inletopenings 52, and a series of air outlet openings 54 laterally spacedtherefrom, it being apparent that said inlet and outlet openings are influid communication with the opening 46. Any desired number and shape ofopenings 52 and 54 may be provided and it, is to be noted that the airinlet openings 52 are disposed in the wall 44 in the region of the Wall48 and the air outlet openings 54 are disposed in said wall inwardly ofthe openings 52. Disposed in the opening 46 for the length thereof isscreening 56 which in the illustrated embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2 issubstantially L-shaped having a part 58 which is disposed in overlyingrelation with the inner face of the lower wall 44 and a part 60.

which is disposed in overlying relation with the inner face of theupright connecting wall 48, said screening preventing the entrance ofinsects and foreign matter into the air space 26 through the air inletand outlet openings 52 and 54, respectively, when the roof ventilatingdevices 10 are installed on the building 12 in the manner to bedescribed in detail hereinafter. The upper wall 42 is inclined relativeto the lower wall 44, the latter wall being adapted to be disposed inhorizontal disposition in the installed condition of the roofventilating devices 10, it being understood that if desired for certaininstallations said upper wall need not be so inclined and may bedisposed parallel to said lower wall. The inclined upper wall 42 isadapted for the support of roofing material and said upper wall, at anouter edge portion thereof, is provided with an upstanding abutment 62which constitutes a gravel stop as will be apparent from the descriptionwhich follows. Forming a continuation of the Wall 48 and depending fromthe outer edge of the lower wall 44 is a longitudinally extendingportion 64 which is adapted to shelter and conceal the air inlet opening52 from the elements. The

3 longitudinally extending portion 64 extends for the full length of theenclosure 40.

In order to secure the enclosure 40 to the roof there is provided alongitudinally extending strip 66 which forms a continuation of the wall44, said securement strip being provided with a series of openings 68which are adapted for the reception therethrough of suitable fasteningdevices such as nails 70. There is also provided a securement strip 72which depends from an intermediate portion of the lower wall 44, saidsecurement strip extending for the length of the enclosure 40 and beingprovided with a series of preformed openings 74 which are adapted forthe reception of the nails or other suitable fastening devices 76.

In practice, the device is installed on the building 12 by nailing orotherwise securing the securement strips 66 and 72 to the roofing boards20. More particularly, the roof ventilating device 10 is fitted overassociated roofing boards with said device being secured to said roofboards through the intermediation of the securement strips 66 and 72.The siding 34 is secured in place subsequent to the installation of theroof ventilating devices, it being noted that in the installed conditionof the roof ventilating devices the air inlet openings 52 will be infiuid communication with the atmosphere and the air outlet openings 54will be in fluid communication with the air space 26 through the seriesof openings 38. Thus the air outlet openings 54 register with the airspace defined between the siding 34 and the header 16'. As previouslypointed out, all of the headers 16 are provided with a series ofventilating openings 38 whereby to provide ventilation for the entireinterior space 26 disposed below the roof 14 of the building 12.

The series or lengths of roof ventilating devices 10 are interconnectedto each other in end-to-end relation to define the peripherallycontinuous roof edge 84 of the roof 14. In order to provide afluid-tight securement between the lengths of ventilating devices 10,there is provided a generally triangular-shaped sleeve 86 which isdimensioned substantially complementary to the opening 46, said sleevebeing adapted to interfit in an adjacent pair of openings 46 of anadjacent pair of devices 10. Thus the sleeve 86 internally covers thejoint defined by the adjacent peripheral edges 88 and 90 of a companionpair of devices 10 which are interconnected by said sleeve, it beingnoted that said edges are spaced slightly from each other in order toprovide for the normal expansion and contraction of the series ofdevices 10. The peripheral edges 88 and 90 are externally covered andthe joint defined thereby is made externally fluid-tight by means of theperipherally extending cover strip 92, the latter conforming to theperipheral contour of the device 10. The cover strip 92 may be formed ofsheet metal or any other suitable material and extends from thesecurement strip 66 to the shelter strip 64 with said cover strip beingbent around said shelter strip in the manner shown in Fig. 2. Thus thejoint defined between each adjacent pair of devices 10 is effectivelyinternally and externally covered by means of the sleeve 86 and coverstrip 92, to thereby provide a fluid-tight joint between adjacentsections or lengths of roof ventilating devices. Each section or lengthof roof ventilating device is secured to an adjacent ventilating devicein the aforedescribed manner except at the roof corner portions wherethe adjacent peripheral edges of a companion pair of ventilating devicesare secured together by welding or the like to define the peripheralwelded seam 94. Thus the ventilating devices 10' and 10", which define acorner portion of the roof edge 84, have their adjacent peripheral freeedges formed with complementary interfitting inclinations to therebyform the peripherally extending welded seam 94 on the securement of saidadjacent peripheral edges.

Superposed on the outer face of the roofing boards 20 are a series oflayers of tar paper or similar roofing material 96, there being providedone or more layers of gravel 98 supported on said tar paper. It will beunderstood that the tar paper and gravel 96 and 98, respectively, willextend over the walls 42 of the devices 10 and will be supported therebywith the upstanding abutments 62 constituting a gravel stop for thelayers of gravel 98. From the above it will therefore be apparent thatthe roofing material disposed on the roofing boards 20 extends onto theupper walls 42 of the roof ventilating devices 10 and terminates at theupright abutments 62. The devices 10 aforedescribed may be formed of anysuitable material and may be of any desired construction and in theembodiment illustrated in Figs. 14 said devices are of one-pieceextruded construction. Thus by way of example the roof ventilatingdevices 10 may be formed of a suitable metallic material such asaluminum, brass, copper or stainless steel or a non-metallic materialsuch as a suitable plastic, and may be of a molded or extrudedconstruction, or may be fabricated from sheet material.

With reference to Fig. 3, there is shown a slightly modified buildingconstruction arrangement in which the headers are provided with a seriesof V-shaped openings 100 in order to provide ventilation for the airspace defined below the roof. Thus, if desired, the ventilating openingsfor the headers may be of circular shape as indicated at 38 or may beV-shaped as indicated at 100 in Fig. 3, it being understood that theV-shaped openings 100 in building construction 12 function in anidentical manner with the ventilating openings 38 aforedescribed.

With reference to Fig. 4, there is shown a modified form of roofventilating device 102 which is similar to the roof ventilating devices10 aforedescribed except in the manner to be specifically pointed outhereinafter. The ventilating device 102 is secured to the roofing boards20 by means of the nails or fastening elements 104, said nails extendingthrough suitable openings provided in said device and through saidroofing boards into the header 16. It is to be noted that the laterallyprojecting longitudinally extending strip 106 of the device 102 isnon-per forated and that said device eliminates the need of 21 dependingsecurement strip corresponding to the strip 72 of the device 10aforedescribed. The lower wall 108 has a shoulder portion 110 dependingtherefrom and said shoulder portion is adapted to interfit with anadjacent edge portion 111 of the siding 34. The bottom wall 108 isfurther provided with a pair of aligned longitudinally extending grooves112 which are adapted for the reception of the screening strip 114, thelatter being adapted to prevent the entrance of insects and foreignmatter into the air space defined below the roof in the manneraforedescribed with reference to the screening 56. Except in therespects specifically noted above the ventilating device 102 is similarto the ventilating devices 10 aforedescribed and is similarly adaptedfor integration with the roofing material described above and to serveas a gravel stop.

With reference to Fig. 5 there is shown a modified form of the presentinvention in which the roof ventilating device 116 has spaced upper andlower walls 118 and 120, respectively which define a longitudinalopening 122 therebetween, said upper and lower walls beinginterconnected by the side wall 124 which has a finished outer face. Thelower horizontal wall is substantially narrower than the upper inclinedwall 118 and terminates in a depending longitudinally extendingsecurement strip 126 having preformed openings 127. The relativelynarrow lower wall 120 is provided with a series of air in let openings128 which provide fluid communication between the atmosphere and theopening 122. The longitudinally extending opening 122 is adapted forfluid communication with the air space 130 defined below the roof 132 inthe manner to be described hereafter. The roofing boards 133 areprovided with a series of openings 134 which extend transverselytherethrough and which are in fluid communication with the air space130. In the installed condition of the roof ventilating devices 116 theair space 130 is ventilated'by means of "the air flow which enters theopenings 128 and which flows through the openings 122 and 134. The roofventilating device 116 may be formed of any suitable material, forexample sheet metal or any other suitable sheet material, and saiddevice is adapted to be installed in a building structure by means ofthe nails 138 which extend through the openings 139 provided in thesecurement strip 140 constituted by a laterally projecting end portionof the wall 118 and by the nails 142 which extend through the openings127 provided in the depending strip 126. It is to be noted that thedepending strip 126 is secured between the siding 144 and the roofsupport member 146 whereby it will be apparent that the siding 124 issecured in position subsequent to the installation of the device 116.The device 116 is provided with an upstanding abutment 62' correspondingto the abutment 62 above described and is further provided with ashelter strip 64' corresponding to the shelter strip 64 above described.Screening 148 is provided to prevent the entrance of insects and foreignmatter into the air space 130 and said screening overlies the series ofair inlet openings 128. Thus as shown in Fig. 5 the marginal strip 150of screening 148 is claimed between the portions 151 and 151' whichdefine the shelter strip 64 with the opposite marginal strip 152 beingclamped in position between the roofing board 133 and adjacent portionsof the depending securement strip 126. Thus the roof ventilating device116 is of an open construction with the openings 134 provided in theroofing boards 133 constituting the air outlet means for ventilating theair space 130 defined by and below the roof. The devices 116 areinterconnected in fiuidtight relation by means of cover strips 156 whichcorrespond to the cover strips 92 aforedescribed.

From the above it will. be apparent that in the installed condition ofthe roof ventilating devices aforedescribed, said devices will beeffective to ventilate the air space disposed below the roof of abuilding and to prevent the formation of moisture in such air space. Theroof ventilating devices function as a gravel stop and as a finishingstructure for the roof edge, said devices being provided with screeningto prevent the entrance of insects and foreign matter into the air spaceto be ventilated. The ventilating devices, above described, are adaptedto be interconnected to each other in fluid-tight relation to define thefinished roof edge, it being noted that the devices and 102 areinterconnected to each other by means of sleeves 86 and cover strips 92with the devices 116 being interconnected to each other by the use ofcover strips 156 which correspond to the cover strips 2.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it will be understood that various changes may be made in thepresent invention without departing from the underlying idea orprinciples of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A roof ventilating device comprising an enclosure adapted forsecurement to marginal portions of a roof, said enclosure havingmutually converging upper and lower walls interconnected by an outervertically extending Wall defining a longitudinally extending opening,means providing for the flowing of air through said opening comprisinglaterally spaced openings defined in said lower wall, one of said lastmentioned openings being an air inlet opening and the other of said lastmentioned openings being an air outlet opening, said upper wall beingadapted for the support of roofing material with said upper well at anouter edge portion thereof having an upstanding abutment constituting agravel stop, and said outer wall having a longitudinally extendingextension portion projecting beyond said lower wall to shelter andconceal said air inlet opening.

2. .A roof ventilating device comprising an enclosure adapted forsecurement to marginal portions of a roof, said enclosure havingmutually converging upper and lower walls interconnected by an outervertically extending wall defining a longitudinally extending opening,means providing for the fiow of air through said opening comprisinglaterally spaced openings defined in said lower wall, one of said lastmentioned openings being an air inlet opening and the other of said lastmentioned openings being an air outlet opening, said upper wall beingadapted for the support of roofing material with said upper wall at anouter edge portion thereof having an upstanding abutment constituting agravel stop, and said outer wall having a longitudinally extendingextension portion projecting beyond said lower wall to shelter andconceal said air inlet opening, and means for securing said enclosure toa roof, said securing means comprising a longitudinally extending stripdepending from an intermediate portion of said lower wall and alongitudinally extending lateral strip defined at an inner edge portionof said enclosure.

3. A roof ventilating device comprising an enclosure adapted forsecurement to marginal portions of a roof, said enclosure having spacedupper and lower walls defining a longitudinally extending openingtherebetween, said upper and lower walls being interconnected by a sidewall with said lower wall being substantially narrower than said upperwall and terminating in a depending longitudinally extending securementstrip, means providing for the flow of air through said openingcomprising an air inlet opening defined in said lower wall, said upperwall being adapted for the support of roofing material with said upperwall at an outer edge portion thereof having an upstanding abutmentconstituting a gravel stop, and said lower wall having a dependinglongitudinally extending portion at an outer edge portion thereof toshelter said air inlet opening.

4. In a building structure having a roof defining an air spacetherebelow and support structure for said roof, an enclosure extendingalong a peripheral portion of said roof in secured relation therewith,said enclosure having mutually converging upper and lower walls defininga longitudinally extending opening therebetween, means providing for theflow of air through said opening comprising laterally spaced openingsdefined in said lower wall, one of said last mentioned openings being anair inlet opening and the other of said last mentioned openings being anair outlet opening, said air inlet opening being in fluid communicationwith the atmosphere and said air outlet opening being in fluidcommunication with said air space whereby to provide airflow from theatmosphere to said air space, said roof comprising a roof member havingroofing material superposed thereon, said upper wall being adapted forthe support of said roofing material with said upper wall at an outeredge portion thereof having an upstanding abutment constituting a gravelstop, and said lower wall having a depending longitudinally extendingportion at an outer edge portion thereof to shelter and conceal said airinlet opening.

5. A roof ventilating device comprising a longitudinally extendingenclosure adapted for securement to marginal portions of a roof, saidenclosure having upper and lower walls interconnected by an outer Wallwith said upper and lower walls being spaced from each other to define alongitudinal opening therebetween, and means providing for the flow ofair through said opening, said means comprising a series of spacedopenings in fluid communication with said first mentioned opening, saidspaced openings being disposed inwardly of said outer wall and concealedand sheltered thereby.

6. A roof ventilating device comprising an enclosure adapted to extendalong a peripheral portion of the roof of a building structure insecured relation therewith, said enclosure comprising upper and lowerwalls interconnected by an outer wall, said walls defining alongitudinally extending opening, and laterally spaced fluid inlet andoutlet means for said enclosure in fluid communication with said openingwhereby to provide for lateral air flow therethrough, said fluid inletmeans comprising an opening disposed inwardly of said outer wall andconcealed and sheltered thereby.

7. A roof ventilating device comprising a longitudinally extendingenclosure adapted for securement to marginal portions of a roof, saidenclosure having upper and lower walls interconnected by an outer wallwith said upper and lower walls being spaced from each other to define alongitudinal opening therebetween, and means providing for the flow ofair through said opening, said means comprising a series of spacedopenings in fluid communication with said first mentioned opening, saidspaced openings being disposed inwardly of said outer wall and concealedand sheltered thereby, said upper wall being upwardly inclined towardsthe outer edge thereof and adapted for the support of roofing materialthereon, said inclined wall having at said outer edge thereof anupstanding portion constituting abutment means for said roofingmaterial.

8. A roof ventilating device comprising a longitudinally extendingenclosure adapted for securement to marginal portions of a roof, saidenclosure having upper and lower walls interconnected by an outer wallwith said upper and lower walls being spaced from each other to define alongitudinal opening therebetween, and means providing for the flow ofair through said opening, said means comprising a series of spacedopenings in fluid communication with said first mentioned opening, saidspaced openings being disposed in said lower wall, said outer wallincluding :1 depending longitudinally extending portion to conceal andshelter said spaced openings.

9. A roof ventilating device comprising an enclosure adapted to extendalong a peripheral portion of the roof of a building structure insecured relation therewith, said enclosure comprising upper and lowerwalls interconnected by an outer wall, said walls defining alongitudinally extending opening, and laterally spaced fluid inlet andoutlet means for said enclosure in fluid communication with said openingwhereby to provide for lateral airflow therethrough, said fluid inletmeans comprising a series of openings disposed in said lower wall, saidOuter Wall including a depending longitudinally extending portion toconceal and shelter said series of openings, and said upper wall beingupwardly inclined towards the outer edge thereof and adapted for thesupport of roofing material thereon, said inclined wall having at saidouter edge thereof an upstanding portion constituting abutment means forsaid roofing material.

10. In a building structure having a roof defining an air spacetherebelow and support structure for said roof, an enclosure extendingalong a peripheral portion of said roof in secured relation therewith,said enclosure having upper and lower Walls interconnected by an outerwall with said upper and lower walls being spaced from each other todefine a longitudinal opening therebetween, and

means providing for the ventilation of said roof air space. saidventilating means comprising laterally spaced fluid inlet and outletmeans in fluid communication with said opening, said fluid inlet meansbeing in fluid communication with the atmosphere and said fluid outletmeans being in fluid communication with said air space whereby toprovide air flow from the atmosphere to said air space, said fluid inletmeans comprising an opening disposed in said lower wall, said lastmentioned opening being concealed and sheltered by said outer wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,651,07l Scheppers Nov. 29, 1927 2,127,099 Whitaker Aug. 16, 19382,336,191 Rose Dec. 7, 1943 2,676,554 Wenger Apr. 27, 1954

